June 2009 TheThe Currahee!Currahee! The Newsletter of The 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment Association Airmobile - Air Assault Our Motto: We Stand Together - Then, Now, and Always Welcome Home, Currahees! An event-filled three days marked the official wel- • Athletic competitions and skill demonstrations; come home celebration for the Currahees of the 4th Bri- • Volunteer recognition awards ceremony for family gade Combat Team. They came home to Fort Camp- volunteers at Ft. Campbell during deployment; bell, Kentucky, after a demanding but successful tour of duty in Afghanistan. After an all-too-brief home leave, • tours of training facilities, simulators and demonstra- soldiers, family members and 506th Infantry Regiment tions; veterans came to Fort Campbell and celebrated together • a family barbeque with many family activities; on May 28-30, 2009. • Currahee memorial service; The celebration—dubbed “Currahee Rendezvous • induction of Currahees and supporters of the regi- 2009” was the vision of the brigade commander, COL ment as Distinguished or Honorary Members of the Pete Johnson, and was made possible through the efforts Regiment (see page 14); and of the rear detachment, family members and the group • the Currahee Ball held at the Gaylord Opryland Re- of 506th Association members who helped with plan- sort in nearby Nashville, Tennessee. ning and fund-raising. The outpouring of support for our returning troops was wonderful to behold, and Associa- It was a very special weekend for all who attended. The tion members were an integral part of the celebration. garrison could not have been more accommodating to the visitors. What made it more special was that the regiment Highlights of the week included: went out of its way to invite all 506th veterans to attend the • the Awards Ceremony, where 4 Currahees re- celebration. Judging from the turnout of former Currahees, ceived Silver Stars for Valor in Afghanistan; the connection between past and present is very healthy in- deed. COL Johnson and key members of his staff met with members of the Association Board of Directors to brainstorm ways the veterans’ group and the active duty troops can work together to support soldiers and their families. Check out the articles and pictures in the newsletter for more information. Regimental Staff Office Building became the veteran’s nerve center for the Rendezvous, with the 506th Associa- tion registration desk, the Quartermaster’s store and his- torical displays. Day 1 of the Rendezvous: Active duty Currahees, family members and veterans mingle in the 506th regimental area for a barbeque after a day of athletic competition, games, tours and demonstrations. From our leaders — Don Thies, “Currahee Six”— COL John P. “Pete” Johnson, Association President Commanding Officer, 4th Brigade Combat Team The troops are home, the troops are home! It is great to be home after a long combat deployment to Afghanistan, where once again the Currahees fought What a wonderful thing to start out this message to all of you. After a long and successful deployment which met bravely and with distinction supporting the Nation we love, and defending the freedoms we hold dear. The veter- or exceeded established goals, the troops of the 4th Bri- ans can all be proud that we have extended the storied gade‘s “Currahees” of the 101st Airborne Division are back lineage of our unit and maintained the honor of the Curra- home with their families and friends. Speaking for all of hee Colors. us, I’d like to say to them “Job Well Done — Thank You While deployed, it was comforting for all of us know- and Welcome Home!” ing that the entire Currahee Family was supporting our By the time this message is printed, the 2009 Currahee efforts as well as "Standing Together "taking care of each Rendezvous at Fort Campbell will be history. I’m sure as other. I'm especially grateful to the Veteran teams that vis- I’m writing this that those of us who attended this event ited our Wounded Warriors and their families - it made a will say to all of you who couldn’t attend that everyone had huge difference, and one that will never be forgotten by a wonderful time and we missed you. those Currahees. The board of directors and officers of the Association I want to personally thank all those veterans who at- continue to work on various projects for the benefit of vet- tended Currahee Rendezvous and helped make it the tre- mendous success it was. We accomplished so much dur- erans and active duty troops. The 2009 Scholarship award, ing the Rendezvous - honoring our fallen and the Gold 2010 Reunion are just a couple items. The Widows, Or- Star families, awarding our brave heroes, recognizing our phans and Wounded Soldiers (WOWS) committee contin- Family Readiness Group Volunteers, inducting Distin- ues to monitor and assist our troops in every way possible guished and Honorary Members of our great Regiment, in their recovery, and are of immense help to families deal- and then celebrating it all at the Currahee Grand Ball at ing with their grief. Opryland. A change of command in the 4th BCT will take place Throughout the first two days, our Soldiers were this summer; we would like to express our heartfelt appre- competing for honors on the fields of friendly strife, cul- ciation to COL Johnson for his outstanding leadership. minating in the Currahee Commander's Trophy being This also applies to his entire staff and command of the awarded to our Guns of Glory, 4-320th FA, for besting the other battalions in our athletic competitions. The Curra- entire 4th Brigade. We wish everyone a successful future hee Rendezvous was one of those special moments in in their next assignments. time where everything To all the enlisted soldiers, what- came together brilliantly, ever your rank or role, may we also and I'm sure will remain in thank you; we deeply appreciate your our thoughts for years to efforts and commitment. You’ve come. done a fantastic job and should be Of special note was our announcement of the 506th very proud of your accomplishments. Infantry Regiment's new Thanks also to the Brigade’s Rear Honorary Colonel of the Detachment, Gene Overton, Fred Regiment, COL (Ret) Bob May, Bruce Moore and Peggy Pear- Seitz. COL Seitz son, and all the many volunteers who served as a Platoon Leader have made such an impact this past and Company Commander year for veterans and our current Don Thies presents COL Pete Johnson, commanding in 2-506 INF in Vietnam troops and their families. Currahee! officer of the 4th BCT, with a blanket copied from the where he was wounded Currahee battle flag that flew in Afghanistan. The blan- twice. He is no stranger to Donald E. Thies ket was one of several Don had made and donated to our current team having vol- President, 506th Airborne Infantry the regiment. unteered to assist our Association (Continued on page 5) B Co. 2nd/506th – Vietnam 1970-71 2 Forward Observations: management and workers, between social and eco- What we saw at Fort Campbell nomic strata, and between cultural groups, this accep- tance was reassuring. John Lally, Association Board and Newsletter Editor • Senior NCOs are still the rock-solid foundation of the A Co, 1st/506th Infantry Vietnam, 1970-71 infantry and the anchor points for units in times of stress. From platoon sergeants to sergeants major, Three generations of Currahee veterans came to Fort these men still stand out. It was funny and symbolic Campbell to welcome home the current generation of that when colonels couldn’t quiet the thousands of warriors. The occasion was the Currahee Rendezvous, excited people at the Ball, the E-8’s and E-9’s were which fittingly took place May 28th-30th -- right after dispatched...and, of course, the place immediately Memorial Day. It was a marvelous and very moving ex- quieted down. perience. • Soldiers’ families have suffered from repeated and Elsewhere in this issue we’ll share information on the lengthy deployments as well as from the uncertainties events of the Rendezvous, but here are some personal of combat. Yet their support for their loved ones reflections on that long weekend: seems unshakeable. Especially for the survivors of • The “kids” returning from the Middle East were the KIA and WIA soldiers, the price of our freedom tough, capable and professional, with a strong was high; but I saw and heard about incredible acts of espirit de corps that was expressed in their car- selflessness from soldiers and family members alike riage, their attitudes and their language. They have responding to loss and challenge. God bless them all. obvious confidence in their capabilities and a col- Living conditions in the Army are much improved lective faith in themselves, each other and in this over the “temporary” 40-year old barracks and train- country. ing facilities our generation experienced. The living • The respect they showed for the veterans was quarters resembled a dorm on a college campus, and touching to behold. We had representatives from the whole post seemed – civilized! all eras in the history of the 506th Infantry and the There is something reassuring about encountering bu- Screaming Eagles, All of us were treated with def- reaucratic SNAFUs as we did in a couple of situa- erence by everyone from COL Pete Johnson on tions during the festivities. It reminds us of our hu- down. More than a few of the vets told me that manity and fallibility...and also that some institutions they were thanked repeatedly by the returning sol- don’t change. diers for their service to our country in Vietnam The Currahee legacy is in safe hands.